The Sunday Poland Bike Marathon race in Marki, near Warsaw, was meant to be a celebration of sport full of passion and adrenaline. Instead, it brought great sorrow. Two participants – 30-year-old Michał and 71-year-old Kazimierz – died on the course on a hot day. Their bodies were found near the finish line, and prosecutors are now looking into the causes of the tragedy.
What happened on the course?
The race started in difficult conditions, with temperatures reaching as high as 36-40°C. The organizers shortened the distances and added more water points in an effort to ensure safety. Even so, two cyclists did not make it to the end.
30-year-old found on Sunday
The first competitor, Michał from the Catena Wyszków team, was found about three kilometers before the finish line. Rescuers attempted resuscitation, but without success. His death was quickly confirmed by the emergency services and the organizers.
Search for the 71-year-old
The second participant, Kazimierz Niewiarowski from Przasnysz – an experienced MTB cyclist and multiple winner of local competitions – went missing on the course. The search lasted for over a dozen hours. The police, fire brigade, military and volunteers took part in it. The man’s body was found on Monday morning in a forest, just 700 meters from the finish line.
Organizers’ reaction and condolences
The organizers of the Poland Bike Marathon, led by Grzegorz Wajs, quickly issued statements. They expressed deep sorrow and offered condolences to the families of both men. In Kazimierz’s case, they stressed that he had previously been advised against starting due to health problems and the risk of dehydration. Nevertheless, the cyclist decided to start in the shorter MINI distance.
We don’t know exactly what happened. All procedures are underway and the matter is being examined – said Grzegorz Wajs, organizer of the Poland Bike Marathon, to a TVN24 reporter.
The man admitted that the 71-year-old cyclist complained on race day of dehydration caused by a poisoning three days earlier. – We advised him against starting, but he said he came here to win and was aware of it. He didn’t want to listen to us – Wajs noted.
„Participant of our competition, Mr. Kazimierz, has passed away. We extend our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones” – they wrote on Facebook.
Safety at cycling marathons – what is worth remembering?
If we had organized this in an open area, the race would be canceled one hundred percent [race – ed.]. Here, 95 percent of the route ran through forest areas, 90 percent of which was deciduous forest. It wasn’t as hot there as it would be outside the forest – stated Gronowski.
He assured that additional water stations and water curtains were set up along the route. – We shortened all the distances by seven kilometers, anticipating the peak temperature – he added.
Cyclists race in all kinds of conditions, from frost to very high temperatures. Such heat is not something new to them, as they ride not only in Poland but also in many warm countries – argued Grzegorz Wajs.
